Friends
by Sakura Barton
Summary: I dont know weather to be happy we're friends...or sad because thats it...


Harry raised his hand as the sun fought it's way to his eyes. Letting himself readjust to the sunlight, Harry walked towards the doors leading into Hogwarts. Sweat rolled down his back and drenched his robes even more than they allready were. Quidditch practice had run over again, and all he wanted now was to make sure he didn't miss lunch.   
  
Sticking his head through the doors to the great hall, Harry noticed there was no food left and nobody there for him to talk to. Sighing, he decided to change and then come back down to the kitchen. The elves would surely make him something.  
  
It seemed as if every step took another snap at his remaining energy, and by the time he reached the portrait of the fat lady he felt as if he may just collapse right there. "Lupis Luna" He said under his breath, just enough to where the fat lady could hear him and she let him through.  
  
Stumbling over his own feet, Harry fell onto the couch where Hermione was studying. She jumped and turned to look at him. "Harry, have you been practicing too much again?" Harry let out a small noise that served Hermione enough as a 'yes' and rolled over.  
  
"Oh honestly Harry! Come on, lets get you up to your room. Your all sweaty and I dont need you messing up my books." With this, she helped Harry up off the couch and up the stairs. Once in the boy's dormitory, she leaned down and Harry slid onto his bed. She went to the foot and opened his trunk, pulling out some fresh robes. "Put these on and get out of those nasty sweaty ones" she said, wrinkling up her nose and turning to walk out.  
  
"Hermione," Harry said, in a rather whine-ish way, "Im too tired..."  
  
Hermione sighed. "Well, fine, just lie there in nasty robes. Make those poor house elves do even more work."  
  
Before she could take any more steps away, Harry sat up and grabbed her hand, pulling her down on top of him.  
  
"Harry! You're making me all nasty now!" Hermione squealed, trying to get up. She sighed and gave up once she realized her efforts were fruitless. Harry squeezed his arms around her tighter.   
  
"Don't leave..."  
  
"Harry..."  
  
But Harry buried his head in the back of her shoulder and loosened his grip around her stomach slightly. Hermione leaned her head back and sighed again.  
  
"Hermione...Im in love with you..."  
  
"I know Harry...but we've been through this allready. I'm happy with Ron..."  
  
"But are you?"  
  
"I am. And you're happy with Ginny."  
  
Harry sighed. He knew he couldn't win this arguement. He let his grip on her fall, and she slowly got up. With her back facing him, she whispered, "I'll talk to you later, Harry. Im going to go back to studying..." and with this, she left. Harry lay looking up at his ceiling for a few minutes before forcing himself up and into the shower.  
  
As the hot drops of water made their way down Harry's body and around his tight mucsels, he thought about his life. Here he was, seventeen and in his last year at Hogwarts. At the ending part of his sixth, he had defeated Voldemort, and now the only exciting things that ever happened where when death eaters would break out of hiding and attempt to start anew. Relationships had sprung up as well, and Ron and Hermione finally expressed their feelings about each other to Harry. They had been together for a while, but thought it best if he hadn't known quite yet. Something else they could hide from him. When Ginny had said she still harboured feelings for him, Harry had taken the relationship in because he thought he was getting back at Ron. Ron approved though, as did the rest of the Weasly family. And now he couldn't get rid of her. He wanted to, but when you're that entwined in a family and you hurt one of them, well, it just kind of has the domino affect.  
  
Sighing, Harry turned off the water and wrapped a towel around himself. Stepping out of the shower, he looked into the mirror and ruffled his hair. "Well, down to dinner. Another meal pretending to be something I'm not..." He made a mocking smile to his reflection and went into the dormitory to step into his robes.  
  
Entering the dining hall, Harry glanced around and found Ginny, Ron, and Hermione sitting in their usual spots. Joining them, he kissed Ginny on the cheek and greeted her with a sweet "hey sweetie". Ginny smiled and blushed slightly. To everyone in school, they were the perfect couple. Only Hermione knew of his doubts.  
  
Dinner carried on with conversations of quidditch team tryouts, and the girls attempting to get the guy's attention. Every few moments Hermione would catch Harry looking at her from across the table. This bothered her slightly, but this was no where near the first night she caught him.  
  
Hermione sat her silverware down and smiled at Ron, who took the hint and did the same. Ron cleared his throat and looked at Harry nervously. "Well...we are going to go patrol...make sure no one is where they're not supposed to be. Its getting late and all."  
  
"Ah, I see." Harry smiled, knowing what they were both up to. Ron was bad at hididng things, and realizing that Harry knew what he was implying, his face turned bright red and Hermione had to pull him up.  
  
"Well then, see you later!"  
  
Harry smiled and waved, slipping his other hand under the table and squeezing Ginny's. She smiled at him, and they both arose to go do some "studying" in the astronomy tower.  
  
The next morning Harry awoke to the sun pouring in his window. He rolled over and pulled his other curtains open. Ron was hanging out of his bed halfway, snoring, with a long string of drool hanging out of his mouth. Harry shook his head as he was getting up, and under his breath muttered, "How can a git like you deserve Hermione?"  
  
Opening the door to the dormitory, Harry looked down and saw Hermione sitting on the couch infront of the fire. He stood there for a second, drinking in the sight of the flames casting shadows on her face. She looked as if she was deep in thought, and the fact that she wasn't surrounded by books slightly worried Harry. He slowly made his way down the spiral staircase and walked up beside her.  
  
"Something on your mind?"  
  
Hermione jumped and looked at Harry.  
  
"Harry! Don't scare me like that!"   
  
When she faced him he realized how tired she looked. It was as if she had been deprived of sleep all night. Her hand went up to her eyes and Harry realized she was wiping away some stray tears. He immiediaty sat down next to her with concern painted on his face.  
  
"Herm, whats wrong?"  
  
She sniffled a couple times before saying "Oh, Harry" and falling onto him, sobbing her eyes out. Harry protectively wrapped his arms around her and ran a hand through her bushy hair. He let her cry on him for a few minutes before lightly whispering, "What happened 'Mione...?"  
  
"Ron...and I...we...we got into an arguement..."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Well...he thinks that I spend too much time agonizing over S.P.E.W...and not enough time with him..."  
  
"Oh...Hermione...I think he was just jumping to conclusions...you know how Ron is when he gets caught up in something...im sure he understands how important the organization is to you..."  
  
Hermione sat up and looked Harry in the eyes. As soon as eye contact was established, Harry felt as if some kind of sharp dagger had just forced it's way into his heart. He hated seeing her like this. Weather or not he was in love with her, she was also his best friend. There was no one else he could talk with the way he did her.   
  
Taking a finger, Harry lightly pushed a piece of hair out of her eyes and behind her ears. "Give him a little bit...he wont want to lose you. Just let him realize it."  
  
She bit her lower lip and nodded, slightly. Wiping her own tears away this time, she smiled a bit and thanked Harry.  
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
So. How will Harry handle the arguement? Will Hermione and Ron patch things up, or will Harry have to find a way to break it off with Ginny? Find out next time! Or...maybe time after next. But anyway, R&R, it would be much appreciated.  
  
I will say this once and not again through-out the fic, I do not own Harry Potter or any characters or aspects from JK Rowlings's hit series. She seems to be sueing everyone up the alley anyway, so im not going to let myself be one of them.  
  
~SB~ 


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